Story Posted: 2025-08-19
Breaking Down Health Barriers: Patient Porter Program
From the St. Paul’s Hospital and Foundation 2024-2025 Annual Review
The pilot Patient Porter Program at St. Paul’s Hospital, launched in the fall of 2023 as part of St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s By Your Side Kidney Care Campaign, has quickly become an essential support system for patients receiving hemodialysis treatment for late-stage kidney disease.
Designed as a two-year pilot initiative, the program addresses a critical need for patients who cannot navigate the Hospital independently to access the lifesaving care they need.
Before the program’s launch, many patients had to rely on costly private transportation to access dialysis treatments. While public transit could get them to the Hospital’s entrance, it did not provide assistance for the journey to the Hemodialysis Unit on the third floor. The introduction of the pilot Patient Porter Program has helped alleviate this burden, allowing patients to end or reduce their dependence on private transportation.
Thanks to the generosity of donors to the By Your Side Campaign, dialysis patients at St. Paul’s are collectively saving approximately $30,000 per month and an incredible $360,000 per year! This shift enables patients to spend their income on other necessities, such as food and medication.
Additionally, the program has eased the strain on patients’ families and support networks, who no longer need to take time off work or adjust their schedules to assist with transportation.
“Having a loved one on dialysis can be a significant commitment, particularly if you are responsible for getting them to and from the Hospital,” shares Krystal Sander, former Interim Director of Kidney Health for Saskatoon and North. “Many friends and families have had to take time away from family and work in order to provide transportation. Having the porters significantly decreases this time commitment as friends and family members are now able to drop off at the entrance and don’t have to account for the time to transport patients to and from the unit.”
The generosity of donors is having a profound impact, helping patients across the province access life-saving treatments with greater ease and less financial strain.